On Tuesday, the city council heard from voters fighting on behalf of urban chickens.

The issue isn't new; Oklahoma City residents may currently have as many chickens as they like on the condition they have at least an acre of property to keep them on.

The effort to bring chickens onto smaller city lots, however, is new and calls for more stringent regulation.

"Chickens are a great addition," said urban farmer Lia Woods. "I mean, with gardening you get vegetables and fruit, with chickens you get protein, so it's a great compliment."

Woods already has her garden going with Commonwealth Urban Farms. She'd prefer to add chickens to that, but knows the issue is already ruffling more than a few feathers. To keep everyone happy, the city's proposing some new rules for urban dwellers.

It starts with no roosters. Homeowners are allowed up to six hens on their property as long as they maintain a clean chicken coop and provide an outdoor enclosure. Both Norman and Tulsa already have chicken rules on the books, just no land restrictions.

With a final decision a few weeks away at the Dec. 31 council meeting, Woods says don't expect these birds to go quietly.

"If it doesn't pass this time around we'll continue the conversation city wide and see what Oklahoma City wants," she said.

While you're here, peruse these breaking news photos from our U Local website. When YOU see breaking news happen, email your photos to ulocal@koco.com -- or post them (and your videos) to http://ulocal.koco.com.

RIGHT NOW... THE CITY'S TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT ITS CHICKENS. A PUSH FOR URBAN FARMING COULD MEAN YOU GET TO KEEP THE BIRDS IN YOUR BACKYARD. KOCO'S MORGAN CHESKY IS LIVE ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE TO EXPLAIN... MORGAN. clucking... FORGET THE FARM.. THESE BIRDS COULD BE COMING TO A BACKYARD NEAR YOU... TODAY CITY COUNCIL HEARD FROM VOTERS FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF FEATHERED FRIENDS. 19 - 20:31 chickens are a great addition. I mean with gardening you get vegetables and fruit, with chickens you get protein so it's a great compliment. LIA WOODS ALREADY HAS THE GARDEN... BUT KNOWS NOT EVERYONE'S READY FOR THE PETS PUTTING OUT A QUALITY EGG. black lady sot TO KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY, THE CITY'S PROPOSING SOME NEW RULES. THEY START WITH NO ROOSTERS... HOMEOWNERS CAN HAVE UP TO 6 HENS ON UP TO AN ACRE OF PROPERTY. AS LONG AS THEY MAINTAIN A CLEAN CHICKEN COOP...AND HAVE AN OUTDOOR ENCLOSURE. clucking nat BOTH NORMAN AND TULSA ALREADY HAVE CHICKEN RULES ON THE BOOKS... JUST NO LAND REQUIREMENT. WITH A FINAL DECISION A FEW WEEKS AWAY... WOODS SAYS DON'T EXPECT THESE BIRDS TO GO QUIETLY. 19 - 21:20 if it doesn't pass this time around we'll continue the conversation city wide and see what Oklahoma City wants. TODAY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID FEEDBACK ON THE ISSUE HAS BEEN LITTLE TO NONE FROM VOTERS. SO DON'T HESITATE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. SIG OUT VOTERS HAVE TWO MORE WEEKS TO STUDY-UP ON THE CHANGES... A FINAL VOTE IS SCHEDULED FOR THE DECEMBER 31ST CITY COUNCIL MEETING.